1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wheelchairs and, more particularly, to wheelchairs that have brake systems to prevent the wheelchair from moving when not desired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the art of wheelchairs that it is desirable to be able to brake a wheelchair to prevent the wheelchair from rolling. In this respect, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to brakes for wheelchairs, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,350,227, 4,570,756, 4,809,818, 5,203,433, and 5,894,912. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,227 discloses a wheelchair brake assembly which includes a three-link arrangement with hinged connections between the three links. A downward movement of an arm rest actuates the three-link arrangement to apply braking pressure to a wheelchair wheel. Use of downward pressure on an arm rest is desirable for applying a wheelchair brake. It would be desirable to avoid the complexities of the three-link arrangement for applying braking pressure on a wheelchair wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,756 discloses a brake device for wheelchairs which includes a substantially vertically oriented hand brake lever that is moved essentially forward and backward to apply braking pressure on a wheelchair wheel. As stated above, it is desirable to use downward pressure on an arm rest for applying a wheelchair brake. Stated more generally, it is desirable to use downwardly vertical pressure on a horizontally oriented brake handle to apply braking pressure to a wheelchair wheel. The device in U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,756 does not provide this desirable feature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,818 discloses a wheelchair lock device which attaches to both wheelchair hand brakes to activate both brakes when only one brake is manually actuated. This device appears to connect to two wheelchair hand brakes, both of which have substantially vertically oriented hand brake levers that are moved essentially forward and backward to apply and releasing braking pressure on a wheelchair wheel. As stated above, in contrast, it is desirable to use downwardly vertical pressure on a horizontally oriented brake handle to apply braking pressure to a wheelchair wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,433 discloses an automatic braking wheelchair which is actuated when a user's weight rises from the wheelchair seat. For an existing wheelchair that does not include an automatic, seat-operated brake, it is a relatively complex and difficult task to retrofit such a wheelchair with an automatic, seat-operated brake. Conventional wheelchairs do not have automatic, seat-operated brakes. Yet, it would be desirable to be able to relatively easily retrofit a conventional wheelchair with an automatic brake. In this respect, it would be desirable to retrofit a conventional wheelchair with an automatic brake that is not seat operated. That is, it would be desirable to retrofit a conventional wheelchair with an automatic brake that is applied to the wheels of the wheelchair when a user is in the process of rising from the wheelchair without using a seat-operated brake.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,912 discloses a wheelchair braking device that is operated by a second person, one who pushes the wheelchair from behind, not the person seated in the wheelchair. For greater usefulness, it would be desirable to provide an automatic brake for a wheelchair that is operated by the person seated in the wheelchair.
Still other features would be desirable in a wheelchair brake attachment apparatus. For example, when a person seated in a wheelchair rises from the wheelchair under one's own power, the hands of the person bear down upon a horizontally oriented arm rest. As the person rises, if the wheelchair is not sufficiently braked, the wheelchair may roll out from under the person. Such a dangerous condition may occur if the person has forgotten or is unable to apply wheelchair brakes. In this respect, it would be desirable if an automatic brake for a wheelchair were provided that automatically applies wheelchair brakes when the hands of a person rising from a wheelchair bear down upon a horizontally arm-rest-like structure.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use brakes for wheelchairs, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a wheelchair brake attachment apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) avoids the complexities of a three-link arrangement for applying braking pressure on a wheelchair wheel;. (2) employs downwardly vertical pressure on a horizontally oriented brake handle to apply braking pressure to a wheelchair wheel; (3) provides a relatively easily retrofitted automatic brake to a conventional wheelchair; (4) retrofits a conventional wheelchair with an automatic brake that is applied to the wheels of the wheelchair when a user is in the process of rising from the wheelchair without using a seat-operated brake; (5) provides an automatic brake for a wheelchair that is operated by the person seated in the wheelchair; and (6) automatically applies wheelchair brakes when the hands of a person rising from a wheelchair bear down upon a horizontally arm-rest-like structure.
The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique wheelchair brake attachment apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.